The ability of soil to retain moisture can significantly impact the severity of droughts on plants. Deep, loamy soils retain moisture from snow melt into the dry season more efficiently than shallow, sandy soils that lose water to runoff and percolation. Soil depth and texture are thus significant i

Mountain white-crowned sparrows’ (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha; hereafter MWCS) diet fluctuates across seasons given their changing nutrient requirements across life stages and environment. Insect population densities may influence the daily nest survival of MWCS who depend upon these organisms a

Network analyses can be used to examine multi-species interactions and have been applied to many ecological interactions such as food webs, antagonistic relationships such as plant- herbivory, and mutualistic relationships. A particular focus has been on plant-pollinator interactions given their imp

Nutrient cycling is crucial for proper functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Animals play an integral part of this process, especially in nutrient poor ecosystems such as the high elevation ponds at the Mexican Cut Nature Preserve. Nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are both limiting nut

For many animals, group living is an effective strategy to mitigate predation risk and ensure survival. However, in yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer), increased sociality is associated with lower female reproductive success, decreased female longevity, and increased over-winter mortality

Blood parasites affect numerous species of birds across the world and can cause serious population declines. Haemosporidian blood parasites in Mountain White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha) are known to affect certain behavioral and morphological characteristics of hosts, includin

This study examines whether climate change alters patterns of local adaptation in Boechera stricta (Brassicaceae). A common garden experiment was established in sites around the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado. In the fall of 2017, Dr. Jill Anderson and her lab planted seeds from a

On a global scale, bees are important pollinators but face declining populations. In order to monitor the health of bee populations and communities, accurate sampling methods are needed. One common sampling protocol utilizes a combination of pan-trapping and sweep netting. While pan- trapping has it

Ants are important members of most terrestrial ecosystems, and often forage in plant canopies where they occasionally participate in mutualisms with either the plants, or aphids that live on the plants. To participate in these mutualisms, the ants must first find them, and it is not clear how ants d